


Just Partners

by imaginarycircus



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-08
Updated: 2012-01-08
Packaged: 2017-10-29 04:17:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/315723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginarycircus/pseuds/imaginarycircus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Danny wants to be more than just partners, but Steve seems to disagree.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Partners

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alba17](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alba17/gifts).



> written for fandom_stocking for alba17

Danny found himself watching Steve more and more. He tried to stop, but it was like a habit he couldn't break. Watching Steve was like smoking.

He didn't think anyone noticed, well, maybe Kono. Possibly Chin noticed, but how could you ever tell without asking him? OK. Fine. So maybe everyone had noticed that Danny was mesmerized by Steve, by Steve's every movement, every muscle twitch, every expression.

The only person who didn't seem to notice was Steve and Danny had to wonder if that was because he was used to be stared at? Which was kind of arrogant, but also kind of kind, because Steve didn't give any sign that he knew he was being ogled.

Until one Thursday afternoon when Steve started staring back. They sat and stared at one another all afternoon, saying nothing. It was like a game of chess without the board, or the pieces, or the strategy, Danny thought. OK. So it was nothing like a game of chess. It was like a staring contest and neither wanted to be the one to give in and move, or say something first.

Staring at Steve, while he stared back? Was very different than watching him. It made the air seem to crackle with static around them, standing Danny's arm hairs on end.

Danny's phone rang and it was Grace so he answered it without looking away from Steve.

"Hey, Monkey. What's up?"

"Hi, Danno. Can you ask Uncle Steve if we can go swimming tomorrow at his house?"

Danny knew Steve had heard the request and waited until Steve assented with a nod.

"Sure. We can do that. I'll see you tomorrow morning, baby." Danny slipped his phone back in his pocket, still keeping eye contact with Steve. "Thanks," he said.

"You have to do something for me first," Steve said.

"What?" Danny puffed up, ready to protest whatever Steve wanted him to do.

"Come over for dinner tonight. Seven sharp. Bring beer." Steve got up and walked away. Danny deflated. Dinner. More staring. Fabulous. He wondered if was possible to spontaneously combust? Hopefully they'd be eating on the lana'i.

***

Danny brought two sixes of Longboards, because one six might not be enough to get them both through whatever awkwardness was about to ensue. Steve was going to call his bluff. Let him down easy. Whatever. It was going to suck. Danny shifted the beer on his hip so he could knock, and paused. He never knocked. He tried the handle. Door was open, so he went in and called, "Hey."

"Hey," Steve called from the kitchen. Danny set the beer in the fridge and slid two bottles from their cardboard sleeve. He handed one to Steve and although they were alone, he found it hard to look at the man. Because it was embarrassing. He was ass over teakettle for his partner and it was wrong on so many levels, not to mention pathetic, because it was clearly unrequited.

"Look, you don't have to do this," Danny said, managing to meet Steve's gaze for a moment.

"What? Make dinner? Too late."

"No, this whole charade." Danny waved his hands about the kitchen to indicate--well, he wasn't exactly sure. He took a big swig of his beer and ended up inhaling it and choking on it. He spluttered and coughed and his eyes watered so badly he couldn't see anything. Steve thumped him on the back.

"You OK, brah?"

"Fine," Danny lied. This was going even better than he thought it would.

"So, we need to talk. Come on. I'm going to put the steaks on the grill." Steve maneuvered through the door with the platter and his beer and looked back, waiting for Danny to follow.

Danny sighed and wiped his eyes, which were still watering slightly. This couldn't be any worse than Rachel dumping him. He stood up as tall as he could and walked out into the setting sunlight, which slanted red and orange across the back of the house.

Steve set the steaks over the open flame of the grill and took a deep drink of beer, before setting it down and turning to Danny.

"You have to stop staring at me at work."

"I-- um. Yeah. OK." Danny felt his cheeks flame and he turned toward the ocen, and the incoming breeze. He added, "Sorry."

"No. It's OK--" Steve started to say.

"Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't let me down easy. Just forget it. OK? I won't stare and I'm sorry if I fucked things up or made you uncomfortable. Can we just go back to being partners? Please?"

"No," Steve said.

Danny turned to look at him. "What do you mean 'no'?"

"No. We can't go back to being partners," Steve said, his eyes flat and blank.

"You son of a bitch. You homophobic son of a bitch." Danny wasn't shouting, but rage was building in his chest and he'd be shouting very soon.

"Danny--"

"No. Don't you 'Danny' me." He dropped his beer on the sand and stormed toward the house. "I'll have my transfer paperwork on your desk in the morning. Send me back to HPD and you'll never have to see me again!"

Steve called after him, but Danny stormed through the house and tore out of Steve's driveway. His phone immediately started to buzz, but Danny turned it off. He drove and drove and drove until he had no idea where he was and he was almost out of gas. He'd been right. It wasn't as bad as being dumped by Rachel. In some ways it was worse.

***

He had the transfer forms on Steve's desk before Steve got in and he sat in his office, pretending to do paperwork, but unable to do anything but listen intently for the sound of Steve's footsteps. When he finally heard them at 8:54 am, he thought he might throw up, but he straightened his back and told himself this was the last time he'd have to deal with Steve and then he could get over him in pathetic peace.

Steve strode into Danny's office and said, "Why didn't you answer your phone? We could have had a case."

"Then Kono or Chin would have called me," Danny said, not getting up from behind his desk. Not sure his legs would support him.

"Danny, we need to talk--"

"No. We don't. You've already said enough. More than enough."

"Danny--"

"My transfer paperwork is on your desk. I'd appreciate it if you'd sign it this morning."

"Danny, will you let me--"

"No. I don't want to hear it, Steven."

"Goddamnit. Danny, will you let me finish a fucking sentence?" Steve's face was red and he was practically spitting.

Danny held out his hand to indicate that Steve had the floor.

"Thank you. Look, I don't want you to transfer. I don't want you to be just my partner. I want more than that, but you wouldn't let me say that last night."

"You want what?" Danny was sure he hadn't heard Steve properly.

"I want you, dumbass." Steve smirked.

"Oh," was all Danny said.

"That's it? That's all you've got to say?" Steve walked around Danny's desk and pulled him to his feet and drew him into a kiss that was totally and utterly unprofessional and went on for some time. Kono hooted at them from the doorway and they broke apart, but Steve kept his hands curled around Danny's biceps.

"How long have you been there?" Danny said.

"Long enough," Kono said and grinned. "We've got a case. If you're available?"

"We'll be out in a minute." Steve gave Kono a look that made her scurry away. He turned back to Danny and said, "We're not done with this."

"Not by a long shot," Danny said. He pulled his gun out of his desk and holstered it and followed Steve out into the bullpen, but he had the disconcerting feeling that his feet were not touching the ground as he walked.


End file.
